News

Time stops at police website

Khawaja Khalid Farooq is Inspector General of Police, Punjab, and Haji Habibur Rehman is Capital City Police Officer (CCPO), Lahore, while the SP CRO is Dr Inam Waheed since March 2009.”

Amazing to read but it is a fact according to the official website of Lahore Police (www.lahorepolice.gov.pk) which still shows the names and messages of aforementioned police officers with their status of posting. One can visit the site before it is blocked by the high command of the Lahore Police. Commanders of the Lahore Police, who claim to keep themselves and the force updated in line with modern technologies and criminology to protect the lives and properties of citizens and counter terrorism, are still unable to press their present identity for the new world of science.

The Governor’s Rule was imposed in Punjab by President Asif Ali Zardari on 25 February, 2009, and Khawaja Khalid Farooq was appointed as Inspector General of Police, Punjab, on the same day by removing Shaukat Javed, the then incumbent IGP.

Governor Salman Taseer, with special consent of Khawaja Khalid Farooq, appointed Haji Habibur Rehman as CCPO, Lahore, on February 26, 2009, by removing the then CCPO Pervez Rathore.

Web of Lahore Police added the names and messages of abovementioned officials after the imposition of the Governor’s Rule at the official website of the department. The Governor’s Rule was lifted on March 30, 2009, and the officials of the Lahore Police were reshuffled on February 24, 2009, position. But unfortunately, the reinstated officials ignored the website which was unchanged till the date. The lead story displayed at the website was uploaded on October 31, 2008, while the second lead was uploaded in 2007 which showed that nobody had bothered to update the website for many years.

The visitor of the site can further see the right end corner of the website where it is written: “Contact SP (CIA/CRO), SP Inam Waheed is presently managing the office of SP (CIA/CRO).”

It is an eye opener for the commanders of Lahore police, who daily boast of changing the police culture and bringing educated people in the department.

However, one can read the following updated paragraphs noted down by this correspondent about the street crime in which more than 205 citizens were deprived of cash, valuables, gold ornaments and cell phones worth lakhs of rupees during the last one week.

Out of total reported incidents, 34 motorcycles and 27 cars were also taken away or snatched. Robbers killed two people, including a businessman, and shot injured another on offering resistance in separate robbery attempts.

The City division topped the other five divisions of the Lahore Police in crime against property as 48 incidents were reported in its limits during the last one week. A trader was killed on offering resistance after he was deprived of prize bonds worth Rs 2 millions. Out of total reported incidents, 13 motorcycles and three cars were also lifted or snatched.

The Saddar division was calculated on second number with 39 reported incidents out of which five motorcycles and one car were also lifted or snatched. Hunjerwal and Sattukatla police proved safe haven for robbers and thieves.

The Cantt division remained third with 34 reported incidents out of which three motorcycles and 11 cars were also snatched or stolen.

The Civil Lines division was calculated on fourth number with 29 reported incidents out of which five motorcycles and five cars were lifted or snatched. One Abid was shot injured in Lytton Road police limits. Most of the incidents of street crime and car theft were reported in the Lytton Road police limits during the last one week.

The Iqbal Town division remained fifth with 28 reported incidents of street crime out of which a youth was also killed on offering resistance. Three motorcycles and three cars were also lifted from the same division.

Model Town division was calculated on last number with 27 reported incidents out of which five motorcycles and four cars were also stolen or snatched.